Starter motor not engaging

Post Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:58 pm

Hello guys,

Need a bit of help,
I've just realised that on my daily 316i auto the starter motor give up and it's spining but not engaging!

Can it be saved or I need a new one?
Any tricks that can be tried?

Thanks

Post Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:03 pm

Give the starter a tap with the hanle of a hammer, or a long timber peice, try the starter, if it engages it'll need to be reconditioned imo.
Others may have other ideas though.

Post Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:08 pm

cam belts gone! worse case if its just spinning over

Post Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:22 pm

The engine doesn't move at all
You can just hear the starter spinning
I'll have to take it out to see

Post Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:38 pm

Are you sure the thin wires on the solenoid are in the correct places?
The Black/Yellow wire is the starter signal while the Black/Green wire is for the unloader relays.

Leave the Black/Green wire off for a while and try move the Black/Yellow wire to its slot and see if the starter engages.

Post Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:01 pm

Billwill wrote:Are you sure the thin wires on the solenoid are in the correct places?
The Black/Yellow wire is the starter signal while the Black/Green wire is for the unloader relays.

Leave the Black/Green wire off for a while and try move the Black/Yellow wire to its slot and see if the starter engages.

I've never touched them...and the car was starting before
I don't have torx keys so I've left it to the local garage